Technical Field
This invention in general relates to a transparent conductive layer comprising a silver nanowire. This invention further relates to an etching composition suitable for etching a transparent conductive layer comprising a silver nanowire to form a pattern. This invention further relates to a transparent conductive electrode manufactured by etching a transparent conductive film comprising a silver nanowire.
Description of Related Art
Transparent conductive films may be patterned to produce transparent conductive electrodes that can be used in manufacturing of variety of electronic devices such as touch sensors, LCD displays, electrochromic displays, and LED displays.
Such patterning may be achieved by etching. Current etching methods may include physical and wet chemical etching. The physical methods are based on the selective energy absorption and evaporation of material etched. Examples of the physical etching include laser and plasma etching. The wet etching is based on a selective reaction of an etchant with the material that is to be etched, forming a soluble compound that can be easily removed.
Examples of the wet etching are related to photolithographic or printing methods. The printing methods include silk screen printing and inkjet printing. A general description of the etching methods may be found in e.g. Jaeger “Lithography Introduction to Microelectronic Fabrication,” 2nd ed. (2002) Upper Saddle River, Prentice Hall; and Kohler “Etching in Microsystem Technology,” (1999) John Wiley & Son Ltd. The entire content of each of these publications is incorporated herein in by reference.
For etching of transparent conductive films deposited on PET films, see, for example, Stockum et. al. “Medium for etching oxidic, transparent, conductive layers” U.S. patent application publication no. 2008/0210660; Allemand et al. “Nanowire-based transparent conductors and applications thereof” U.S. patent application publication no. 2014/0338735; and Coenjarts “Printable etchant compositions for etching silver nanowire-based transparent, conductive film” U.S. patent application publication no. US2014/0021400. The entire content of each of these publications is incorporated herein by reference.